- Three days after his conversation with Madame de Vionnet, Strether receives a short little telegram from America. And to get a telegram instead of a letter in those days usually meant that a message was urgent.
- At first, he crumples up the telegram and shoves it into his pocket. Mysterious!
- Waymarsh walks past where he's sitting and notices a big change come over his face, so Waymarsh decides to just keep walking and to leave Strether with his thoughts. Yes, the suspense is building.
- A few minutes later, though, the two of them sit down for dinner. But Strether says nothing about it and Waymarsh won't let on that he's been bit by the curious bug. So they say nothing to each other and then part ways again. Not one of the more eventful meals of the book.
- Later on, Waymarsh finally breaks his silence and asks Strether if he's heard any news. Strether says that he hasn't heard anything more than usual. Whatever that means.
- The next day, Chad shows up at Strether's room and asks Strether if the word from Woollett has finally come through. Strether is surprised at Chad's knowledge of what's going on, and wonders if he got a telegram, too. Chad says he hasn't, but just points to Strether's telegram and guesses at what's going on.
- Chad says out of nowhere that he's ready to head back to Woollett with Strether. He feels that Strether has felt the full benefit of his time in Paris and that he's looking much fitter and healthier.
- Strether breaks the news to Chad that Mama Newsome is in poor health. Chad replies that this is all the more reason for the two of them to leave immediately.
- But here's the thing: Strether now argues that Chad can't go home just yet. Chad actually wants to go home and see his mother, especially if she's not doing so great. But now it's Strether who says he's not ready to go back to the dull world of Woollett anymore. Switcheroo!
- Strether also mentions that Mrs. Newsome has given him an ultimatum. Either he bring Chad home immediately, or comes home himself. Either way, there'll be no more delaying. Which is pretty much the exact opposite of what he's doing.
- Strether asks Chad why he would make him enjoy Paris and Madame de Vionnet so much if his plan was to go home all along. Chad answer that he thought it would do Strether good, which it definitely has.
- Strether tells Chad about Mrs. Newsome's plan to marry him off to Mamie Pocock once he's back in America. He's really looking for outs now.
- Chad realizes that what's really going on is that Strether doesn't want to go back to Mrs. Newsome, but he doesn't have the guts to break it off, either.
- Chad says that Mrs. Newsome will send her daughter Sarah (that's right, Chad's sister) if he and Strether try to buy more time. Strether is okay with letting this happen, since it'll do exactly that: buy him some more time in Paris.
- He also has a distant hope that Sarah will have the same experience as him and be so impressed with Chad that she'll want him to stay in Paris.
- Chad proposes going back to America himself and leaving Strether in Paris. But Strether is too chicken for this, too. It's like he can't make excuses to himself to stay in Paris without Chad there.
- Chad promises to stand by Strether's side in Paris. Which is pretty ironic considering they just flipped the whole premise of the book. They seal their deal with a little handshake and part ways.